Church celebrates 100 years as social network site

In a remote farming community in western New South Wales, a lone church stands among the properties. On the weekend it was full to over-following, as people gathered to mark 100 years since its first service. Locals say the church is not only a place of worship, but a life-saving social network for the community.

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ELEANOR HALL: In a remote farming community in western New South Wales, a lone church stands among the properties.

This weekend it was full to overflowing as people gathered to mark 100 years since its first service.

Locals say the church is not only a place of worship, but a life-saving social network for the community.

As Natalie Whiting reports from Marra Creek.

(bell ringing)

NATALIE WHITING: The bell rings outside the little wooden church to tell the people gathered it's time for the service.

Almost 50 people have come, but long time parishioner, Jim Marr, says that's not normally the case.

JIM MARR: Normally 8 to 10 people will come. Christmas and Easter, anything up, 96 - 97, I think was the biggest.

NATALIE WHITING: Bishop Ian Palmer has driven five hours from Bathurst for the celebration, to mark 100 years since the first service was held in the church.

IAN PALMER: It's beautiful, isn't it? And we're blessed because it's so green at the moment as well. So that's an added advantage. And to think that this church has been here for over 100 years as well.

It's a witness to things that are enduring within our society and things that are worth keeping and passing on.

NATALIE WHITING: The Marra Creek Church stands alone among the paddocks, it serves a farming district, not a town.

It seats about 40 people, so some stand outside to hear the service.

Mr Marr has been the church's caretaker for more than 30 years.

JIM MARR: It's held up well. A few bushfires around, several floods, a lot of droughts.

NATALIE WHITING: But it's still here.

JIM MARR: Yeah.

NATALIE WHITING: Several priests have gotten lost over the years trying to find their way to the church, which has a service once a month.

Mr Marr remembers one brother who used to cycle from a town more than 100 kilometres away.

JIM MARR: Brother Peter, in the forties, use to ride a pushbike down from Brewarrina. He'd be away for a week, but he'd call and stay with various people overnight, make their way around the area.

NATALIE WHITING: The church is an important social fixture and after the service, everyone stays for a beer and afternoon tea.

Mr Marr says it's been incredibly important during tough times.

JIM MARR: I think it was one of the things that saved us from any suicides during the last couple of droughts. People would come along here to church and have a yarn, sort of get away from their worries for a couple of hours anyway.

She says it's a great to be able to catch up with her distant neighbours.

LEE THORTON: It's very important through the tough times. It's a means of people getting together and the communication and because it's such an isolated area it allows us to come together and get together, yeah.

NATALIE WHITING: Bishop Palmer says it's often the case in rural areas that the church becomes a focal point for the community.

IAN PALMER: Look I think Marra Creek is very special. It is a remote community. But we also see this in other parts of the diocese where other facilities have moved out of the communities and the church is often the only one left, and that is, it is important for holding the communities together.